# Knowing the Provenance of Cigars You Send



## croatan (Mar 23, 2005)

For as long as I've been here (and I'm sure for years before that), fake Cuban cigars have been passed around the jungle, so this post isn't directed at anyone in particular or inspired solely by recent events.

While it's well and good to want to send out the best cigars you have in a bomb/pif/pass/whatever, it's vitally important that you know the provenance of the cigars you're sending.

If the cigar you're considering sending came from a friend, a friend of a friend, wasn't bought by you directly from an authorized Habanos dealer, or came from some other source that isn't beyond reproach, don't send it out. Simple as that.

There are a number of issues that arise from the circulation of fake cigars. Here are a few:

*Beetles *- Fake cigars are much more likely to cause beetle infestations, ruining the collection of whoever you're bombing. So, while you think you're doing a good thing and sending someone a great cigar you've never seen before, you could actually wind up costing the recipient tens of thousands of dollars.
*Respect and Trust*- Regardless of your intent, if you become known as someone who sends out fake cigars, others just aren't going to trust you as much. In an online community, about the biggest asset you can have is other members' respect and trust. Don't lose either because you don't know where your cigars came from.
*Health Issues*- Do you know what some of these cigars are rolled with? If you did, you probably wouldn't put them anywhere near your mouth.
*Confusing a Habanos Neophyte*- Member "A" gets a Bolivar from member "B". It tastes like a dog turd. Member "A" now thinks he doesn't like Bolivars. In reality, he's actually smoked a dog turd.

There's a proverb saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The spirit--the generosity--of the jungle is what makes it great and, ironically, probably contributes to the majority of fake cigars being circulated here. Please realize that the problem here really isn't that one person will think you're trying to "screw" him or her by sending fake cigars--the potential pitfalls of sending out fakes are far more ruinous. So just temper your exuberance with caution, especially when dealing with something that could affect someone else's collection.


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## pnoon (Jun 8, 2005)

bump


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